Dr Lilian Achieng Gogo, Member of Parliament from Rangwe, Homa Bay County, while making her contribution on the amendments to the Montreal protocol of 2014, said farting is terrible within planes and something ought to be done to deal with it.
“There is one irritant that is often ignored and this is the level of farting within the aircraft. There are passengers, who literary irritate fellow passengers by passing bad smell and uncomfortable fart.
“If there is anyone given irritant that makes people fight on board, it is the fart, it is terrible within the plane,” Dr Gogo said, Daily Nation reported.
MPs were discussing ways offenses and certain acts committed on board aircrafts can be dealt with or reduced. MPs want basic systems introduced aboard flights to check the level of discomfort that passengers undergo through especially during long flights.
Dr. Gogo bitterly complained of how she has had to endure periods of uneasiness that she says should now be a thing of the past if security aboard aircraft is to be enhanced.
“If I am the only one who has experienced this, then I think the rest of us are very lucky. We should have basic provisions of medicines such as Eno other than paracetamols on the flight.”
Notorious local routes prone to high levels of farting
Dr. Gogo added that local flights were also notorious in the ‘smelly affair’. She cited Kisumu-Nairobi, and Nairobi-Mombasa flights as especially prone to high levels of farting.
“I have experienced passengers go through the agony of long flights. We cannot be secure on board when the other passengers are experiencing discomfort. Farting and flatulence is done progressively and can be contained,” she said.
Airtight plan to combat farting
When Challenged by temporary speaker Christopher Omulele on how she intends to stop farting aboard air crafts Dr. Gogo said for a start passengers can be provided with basic medicines meant to reduce emission of gas especially after meals.
“We need special training on aircraft crew so that they provide medicines like bicarbonate of soda after to passengers after meals and drinks have been served. We should also have paramedics, who are trained in basic first aid included in the international and local flights,” Dr Gogo said.
She also noted that special training of aircraft crew should be undertaken.
In August this year, proceedings at Homa Bay County Assembly came to a shuddering halt for almost ten minutes after one of the lawmakers let off a fart so potent that ministers were left gasping for air as they attempted to fan away the rancid stench. The heat of the afternoon did not aid matters.
In February 2018, a flight from Dubai to Amsterdam was forced to land in Vienna after a man refused to stop passing wind, infuriating staff and passengers.